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Primary scientific and technical problems at the increase of power efficiency of aluminium cells - art_10.pdf

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art_10.pdf

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Date:

02. March 2011

E.N. Panov, A. Ya. Karvatskii, S. V. Leleka

Abstract

Increase of energy cost is highly significant for energy-intensive industrial branches, in particular, for competitiveness of aluminium producers. Therefore, the development and construction of electrolysis cells with decreased specific power consumption and increased lifetime of cathode assembly are of vital importance. Nowadays numerous projects are under intensive development devoted to the electrolysis cells of this type with consideration of preliminary MHD estimations, power and mechanical properties supported with subsequent engineering projects. However, rather frequently the anticipated results do not match actual consequences. One of the major reasons is a set of uncertainties at every stage of development. This is relevant both for methods of modeling of electrolysis cell state, and for influence of changes in technological schedule and properties of involved raw materials on technological process, and for changes of properties of raw materials depending on supplier and manufacturing process, external factors and so on. This report discusses only some of the challenges we met at solution of actual problems, however, we believe, that the discussed scope of the challenges prevents the achievement of reliable approaches and requires for conductance of supplemental investigations. It should be noted, that the development of «successful» design of electrolysis cell results in significantly higher cost savings than the investments into the conductance of such supplemental investigations.